Archive for the ‘Business’ Category

If you must present an employee badge to get into your office every day – perhaps multiple times a day – you’ll love the convenience of a retractive badge holder from Kyle Design. Buy one in a neutral tone or express yourself with your favorite bright color.

Show off your personality with a fun decorative badge reel in one of Kyle’s custom crafted designs. There are hundreds of gold and silver animals, occupations, sports, hobbies, numbers, and monogram letters. You’ll enjoy wearing your customized reel to work each day. Not only is this a great way to keep track of your badge, but you’ll love the convenience of easily locating your employee ID card every time you need it.

Ditch that plain, boring badge reel and replace it with a fun, colorful, retractable badge holder that reflects your personality. Whether you prefer a lightweight, plastic badge reel with a nylon cord or a heavy-duty metal reel with a steel cord, you can easily order a decorative reel that fits your style.

Kyle Design carries 10 different styles of retractable badge reels ranging from the super lightweight to the super heavy duty. Each work ID badge holder comes with a decorative metal center featuring one of Kyle’s unique artistic designs. There’s truly something for everyone – baseball for the sports fan, artistic designs for the creative thinker, dogs for the pet lover, fashion themes for women, occupation themes for your office, numbers, monogram letters – and so much more!

Simply click to select a reel with the features you desire – for example a nylon cord verses a steel cord or a fully colored reel verses one with only a gold or silver design.

Once you select the perfect badge reel for you, customize it. Use the design chooser to customize the center design. Shown here are 2 of Kyle’s designs – high heel shoes in gold and a silver decorative crest – but there are hundreds to choose from. Select any design in gold or silver.

Finally, select a color for your new badge holder. Our sample reels are purple and teal but you can also have red, pink, blue, orange, black, yellow, green…you get the point.

Click unique decorative badge reels to get started. Customize a reel for yourself or for a co-worker’s birthday, your son or daughter’s first day at a new job, or as a fun welcome gift for a new employee.

Congratulations to all of you who voted this week! It is important to exercise this right, whatever your political beliefs may be.

With the addition of a new political party, the Tea Party Patriots, I have created a new design to mark their emergence into the political spectrum. The Tea Party Patriots stand for fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets. They organized themselves over the shared philosophy of ending excessive government spending and taxation.

“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work to give to those who are not.” — Thomas Jefferson

Delicious cocoa and coffee nightlights are sure to warm your heart and your home on any cloudy day.

It’s that time again. Fresh flowers blooming throughout, birds and the bees enthusiastically twittering and buzzing about in manner of Bambi and the air generally filled with an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ feeling wherever you go. A seasonal phenomenon, so aptly defined by the late-great Mark Twain: “It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” All too true, but wait– I think I might instead know exactly what I want, and the “want” I’ve got is a cure for the awful hay fever symptoms I’ve been having.

In light of the recent soundtrack of sneezes and coughs that have afflicted the entire Kyle Design staff, it can be concluded that this is the one of the worst California allergy seasons we’ve had in a very, very long time. In fact, it came as no surprise that the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has rated San Francisco/the Bay Area as the 63rd most challenging place to live with spring allergies. Wheeze, hack, snort and “Do you have any lubricating eye drops?” have become typical, albeit disturbing, sounds of the studio over the last few weeks, and our fingers are fiercely crossed that we can all survive the remaining month or so until summer’s arrival.

To our asthmatic and allergy-prone friends, we most certainly feel your [sinus] pain.

On the upside, we’ve all been finding immediate joy in this gloomy, somewhat out-of-place rainy weather of the past week. Not only do we hail the rain (no pun intended) as a magical marvel in clearing up our sinuses, but April and May showers have made us happier, busier bees around the studio, and we’re hoping to extend this joy to each of our customers with our latest designs. For now, my goal is to enjoy watching the wet rain fall from a tauntingly dry indoors view armed with a plush blanket and a fresh cup of tea. Ah, I’m filled with warm, fuzzy feelings just at the thought…

It is fruit and berry season again, and the first day of summer vacation for the kids. I’ve just baked my second pie of the week plus a strawberry rhubarb crisp, with the help of four kids – my girls, age 10 and 13 and their boy cousins, age 11 and 14. Baking is a great way to keep kids busy, have them learn some new cooking skills and have them experiment with some new flavors. New for the boys: cardamom. New for all the kids: rhubarb.

Fresh Fruit Business Card Holder for farmers, foodies and anyone who loves summer

(My first pie of the season was a bit of a disaster – my oven broke while the pie was in it baking – no flaky crust there! Just a soggy mess – sooo disappointing.) Oven has been fixed, and I was wanting to erase the bad pie memories with the wonderful smell of fruity baking goodness.

Love to bake? Enjoy fresh strawberries? Capture the spirit of the season with a strawberry name badge holder.

Today’s pie is a strawberry rhubarb pie, which was my dad’s favorite. With Father’s Day coming up next weekend, memories of him are on my mind. We used to grow rhubarb in our backyard growing up and when I saw it at the Farmers Market I knew that was the right pie for this new memory making job.

We made pie dough from scratch – really not hard or too time-consuming when you have a Cuisinart, although it turned out a little sticky for some reason this time. While waiting for the pie crust dough to sit in the refrigerator for an hour, however, we whipped together a slightly different strawberry rhubarb crisp that was really good (and gone before the pie was even come out of the oven, so I guess this new flavor was a winner!)

I’m an artist – I love to experiment and try new ways of doing things and trying new flavors. Yet another creative outlet for me! My youngest daughter does not like fruit (horrors!), so I make a batch of crisp topping for her separately. This time we made a double batch and discovered that the extra crispy bits were especially good mixed into the regular crisp. Always something new….

Extra Crispy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Filling

2 c. rhubarb, cubed into 1/2″ pieces

Encourage Kids to Cook and Plan Meals with a Cooking Bookmark for Cookbooks

1 c. sliced strawberries

1/2 c. sugar

3 T. flour

1/4. cardamom

dash of nutmeg

Combine and pour into a greased 8″ x 8″ baking pan.

Topping

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. flour

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 t. ground cardamom

dash of nutmeg

1/2 c. softened butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine topping ingredients in bowl or plastic bag and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle half of topping mix over filling. To create the extra crispy topping, pour the remaining topping mix into a separate greased oven-proof pan and bake at the same time as the pan of filling and topping. Remove the crispy topping after about 20-25 minutes (keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn), and continue baking the filling and topping pan for about 10-15 minutes more, for a total of 35 minutes.

Serve up the crisp filling and sprinkle the extra crispy topping over it, stirring in if desired. The result is a delicious chewy, crispy, sweet, sour mix of flavors and textures.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie - Good memories in the making, and the baking

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie – This Pie Is Really Good!

3 c. rhubarb, in 1/2″ slices

1 1/2 c. sliced strawberries

1 1/4 c. sugar

3 T. tapioca

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. ground cardamom

1/8 t. ground nutmeg

3/4 t. grated orange peel

Strawberry Pie ala Mode Christmas Ornament - A great way to capture those memories of baking together.

Roll out pie dough and line a 9″ pie pan with one of the crusts. Pour in fruit mixture, cover with top crust and crimp edges. Cut a few slits in the top, sprinkle with a little bit of sugar. (To protect edge of crust from getting too dark while baking, cut length of foil, cut in half length-wise and wrap over crimped edge of pie.) Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes, removing foil after 30 minutes if used.

Livermore’s Randy Johnson joins baseball greats with win 300 this week pitching against the Nationals and guess what, Kyle Design has just the thing to mark this achievement: our Number 300 Business Card Holder. Know someone else who needs a special business card holder with a significant 3 digit number? Have a friend who bowled a perfect 300? Met a personal goal? Loved the movie 300? Want to commemorate a major (league) milestone with a special gift? Now you can with Kyle Design’s new Three Icon Business Card Holders with any “Big Unit” up to 999.

Pitched a 300 win? Bowled a 300 game? Number 300 business card holder says it all.

You design it, we make it: I’ve created these cool new biz card cases so you can put together three numbers, letters, sports, professions in any combination you want. How about two initials and the symbol of a favorite pastime? Or a three letter monogram? MLB? Company acronym? An initial and a birthday number? The letter “I” plus a heart plus whatever it is you love? You get to be the designer using a business card case as a canvas with images I provide. (Hundreds of choices! It really is quite fun to put them together!)

Hey all you MLB players who like fresh, clean pieces of gum: Baseball chewing gum holder keeps it appetizing!

Being about the same age as Randy Johnson, I think what he did is pretty darn impressive. To maintain that level of skill and fitness is amazing. I’m sure he has worked very hard and so deserves all the accolades coming his way. Congratulations!

So if you’re a MLB baseball fan or knows someone who likes to play ball, be sure to check out Kyle Design’s Baseball Gifts where you’ll find some really cool items you’ve never seen before. Honest.

The coolest fair ever, the Maker Faire – science masquerading as art, high tech passing as toys, creative solutions to world problems pretending simply to be fun – is this weekend, May 30 and 31, 2009 in San Mateo, CA.

Get yourself a creative business card holder that reflects both hands-on and high functioning.

Any of you (and your kids) who love crafts, computers, music, making, DIY, tinkering, technology, recycling, building, inventing, collaborating, this is THE place to be. You’ll come away inspired, informed, invigorated and happy. Find suppliers of really unique crafts and tech materials for future projects, websites with cool things to do, and entrepreneurs who have turned hobbies into fun businesses. A “DO NOT MISS” for families.

This year’s theme is Re-Make America, in keeping with President’s Obama‘s call to action for “the risk takers, the doers, and the makers of things” to help re-invent the USA. This is the fourth annual fair, and in past years things that captured my family’s attention were the crazy parts bikes, the motorized giant cupcake-mobiles, Fiddlesticks bendable fabric building sticks, the computerized elaborate egg decorating machine.

Robot Memory Box in Wood - A creative way to store memories of fun events.

I’ve always loathed the term “artsy fartsy” because it seems intentionally disrespectful to those are trying to do something different. If you never try, you’ll never succeed! So I much prefer the term “artsy smartsy” because it better represents what inventors, designers and artists are all about. It certainly sums up this show. Bright ideas and creative execution. Really smart, funny people who express that humor in their art and technological products. I love being an artist and I LOVE this fair!

Have a crafts room or workshop? This Building Tools DIY light switch plate is the perfect finishing touch.

The fair is open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday at the San Mateo County Expo Center.

Maker Faire Tips:

Buy your tickets off-site or ahead of time online. The crowds keep growing every year and I can only imagine what it will be like this year. Chronicle story in the paper yesterday about it, too.

Come early – lines are long just to get into the parking lot, let alone the door.

All you black sheep out there who are making a living in an unexpected way, here's a wallet that reflects your independence!

Bring food if you don’t like fried, (keep it in an ice chest in your car). Plus you can, once again, avoid long lines. (Although I am hopeful that there might be more of an emphasis on good food with the suggestion that there will be a Farmers Market.) This fair is so fabulous you will be tempted to starve rather than miss anything waiting in a line somewhere!

Wear a hat: Half the events and projects are outside, although this year it looks like it will be overcast most of the day.

Take a quick peek into each building first: Each building has a different theme and you can get stuck in any one of them for hours, so see which one looks like it is most interesting for you and your kids before getting involved. You WILL run out of time and not be able to see or experience everything.

This weekend is the 18th annual Livermore Wine Country Festival right in beautiful historic downtown Livermore, CA. If you haven’t been to Livermore lately, this is a great opportunity to visit the Livermore Valley Wine Country, do some wine tasting and enjoy the atmosphere. Festival hours are 10-6 on Saturday and 10-5 on Sunday and there will be a lot to see and do for both adults and kids. I’m taking my girls and I’m on my way!

A Beer Handbag Holder is a must if you are visiting tasting rooms - keeps your purse where you won't forget it.

The festival is being held on First Street between P and Maple, and on Second Street between N and K Streets. The Sunday morning Farmers’ Market will be going on at the same time on Second Street from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., so you can even get in some healthy food shopping while you’re at it.

For the kids there will be games, rides, activities and water fun. There is also a great toy store on J Street called Whoopsiedaisy Toy Shop that always has creative, unusual toys (and they encourage your kids to play with them!). Older kids can check out the 6TwentyOne Skate Shop.

Many people in the S.F. Bay Area are familiar with downtown Livermore from their very popular Downtown Halloween Night when the local businesses hand out candy to all comers. Livermore has completely redone their downtown with wine streets, trellises, fountains. We have the stunning new performing arts center, movie theater, restaurants and businesses. Livermore is really a nice little town to visit, and if you do like touring wineries and checking out wine tasting rooms, there are more than 40 local wineries right here. So you can really make a day of it when you visit!

Kyle Design of Livermore also has many beautiful wine, beer and arts themed gifts. If you’s like to see more of Kyle’s unique items, visit her web site for Kyle Design’s Wine Gifts, Kyle Design’s Beer Gifts, Kyle Design’s Arts Gifts. You’ll find business card holders, flasks, purse hooks, and so much more with artistic, original designs by local Livermore artist Kyle McKeown Mansfield.

Artist Drinking Flask - A stylish way to hold your liquor, wine and beer on a cool afternoon.

If that tarantula stings, have your pain relief pills at the ready in your Spider Bill Box from Kyle Design

Tarantulas are on the march, heading towards Concord, CA, and the (San Francisco) Bay Area Tarantula Society’s Spring Sling Fling. This spider festival is being held today from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Concord Veterans Memorial Hall at 2290 Willow Pass Rd., Concord, CA, 94520. Admission is free – all you need is courage to overcome your fears of these creepy crawlies.

Are your fears justified? You’ll see these tarantula collectors (apparently they becomes quite addictive) allow these large invertebrates to climb all over them with hardly a care. Are these people crazy? Do they have a death wish? No and No. Members just want to spread awareness of these creatures, and no humans (on record) have ever been killed by a tarantula.

Afraid of the dark? This stained glass Spider Night Light will help calm arachnophiles' fears.

However – tarantulas are not just cuddly balls of fur on the move. They really can sting if inclined using the fangs in their front legs. Plus their hair is barbed and contains a very toxic irritant. Sounds fun! Best to pick a tarantula with a laid-back disposition if you are going to start collecting them.

In our house when we hear “DAD!!!! There’s a spider!“, it’s on the ceiling. When we hear “MOM!!!! There’s a spider!”, it’s on the wall or the floor. (Lucky me.) In both situations, the inflection in our daughters’ cries would imply that the spiders are as large as tarantulas. Maybe some education about arachnids in general would be a good thing. This festival would be a good place to teach your your kids about spiders so they are brave enough to deal with them by themselves. Maybe a spider night light would help inure them to their innate fear of these fun invert pets!

How long do tarantulas live? Females can live up to 20 years, so make sure you aren’t the type who has commitment issues.

Spiders are found all over the world, just like the World Wide Web, and are serious business to arachnophiles. Here is the perfect business card holder for them.

Festival events will include demonstrations, sexing instructions and mating exhibitions where these arachnophiles intend to prevent the females from eating the males post coitus.

Hurry! Today is the last day of the Califronia Independent Film Festival here in Livermore CA and there are still tickets available at the door for some great cinematic treats. (Vine Theater at 1772 First Street right in Downtown Livermore.)

Sunday Morning Festival Schedule

This morning you can catch nine Comedy Shorts from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Theater #1 (scroll way day to view really short Video Clips of Shorts here – is that a joke, too?). Titles include Cost of Living, HiBi-Chan, Just In Case, Rolla Saor (Free Film), The Green Film, The Mix Up, Three-Fifty, Ticket for Success and Wrong Number.

The 2009 Best Documentary Slate Award in being held in Theater #2.

Football Switch Plates would look great in the den of football fans, players and announcers.

Sunday Noon Schedule

The Shorts: Program C is showing in Theater #1 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. with six films. This section is sponsored by Goal Line Productions. Goal Line Productions is the full service sound stage company of Joe Madden (son of football player, Raider’s coach John Madden – who on Friday just announced his retirement from sports broadcasting after 30 years) and Jonathan “Sketch” White, who is the company’s studio manager. Again, you can view shorts of shorts More Video Shorts of Shorts. Films scheduled are Akira’s Hip Hop Shop, The Fenceline, The Miracle, Ruïne and Fertilize.

Award Winning Pill Box - Keep Your Eyes on the Prize: Great way to encourage a filmmaker, writer or videographer to keep going for it!

Over in Theater #2 in the Sapporo Short Fest Program that is sponsored by Kaori & Derek Zemrak (the lowbudget movie director and producer). International films showing in in this section include The Pond, Spoorweg (Losing Track), Auf der Strecke (On the Line – winner of over 50 international awards), Lumen, AlpTraum (Final Kick), Lui and Lone Rider.

Sunday Afternoon Schedule

From 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., you can catch the feature film Rock Slyde in Theater #1, sponsored by Livermore Valley Florist.

Over in Theater #2, the festival is showing Shorts: Schedule A. Movies include On the Road to Tel-Aviv, Red Letter, Black Rose or How Mr. Fossenrath Tried Not to Change the World, Next Floor, The Border, Silent Lake, Limpiando Sapos and Ping Pong.

Sunday Evening Film Schedule

The feature film Camille, starring David Carradine, James Franco and Sienna Miller about a couple on their way to their honeymoon at Niagara Falls, will be showing in Theater #1.

Reach for the Stars! Movie Star business card holder will reflect your professional attitude toward a challenging, creative career choice.

In Theater #2 will be Shorts: Program B, again sponsored by Goal Line Productions. Films scheduled are Pluzman, Collector, Dudley’s Raft, One Little Step, La Lili à Gilles and Editing.

Sunday Night Film Schedule

The last film showing during this festival is War Eagel, Arkansas which runs from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It looks like a very moving, poignant moive that is based on a true story.